Since the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus was discovered in Asia in 1997, millions of poultry were slaughtered. Headlines the last few days about research scientists and public health authorities across the globe warning a worldwide epidemic could become a reality if the bird flu virus mutates with the human flu virus are striking fear in the hearts of many.

In theory, this could happen, and the major seafood businesses and the seafood industry organizations will benefit from studying how the global community should deal with this fear, and what effect this fear has on poultry sales.

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